Behind the Brand: Sarah Hamilton Prints

I came across the wonderful Sarah Hamilton through Twitter - just one of many fantastic connections I have to thank the microblogging site for. She's a super talented printmaker, and her quirky, appealing designs adorn a variety of objects - from cards to woodblocks to furniture and even mirrors. She's also super friendly, and has a wonderful mid-century home in Dulwich, which she'll be showing off during an Open House weekend at the Dulwich Festival, on May 11 and 12.

And... *coughs*... she's very kindly asked yours truly to come down and sign copies of my book at the event...so see you there!

I caught up with Sarah to find out a bit more about her fantastic career so far...

How long ago did you start designing?

After leaving Central St Martins, having studied Printmaking back in the days before Photoshop, I made a range of handmade cards and sent them to buyers at The Conran Shop, Designers Guild and Paperchase. They were very enthusiastic about my designs and all placed orders. Requests for different products followed from other stores, including a popular collection of bathroom mirrors for Heal's.

I was then asked to make much larger focal piece mirrors, with my distinctive imagery, by architects and interior designers. This led to commissions, from galleries and private clients, for a wide range of artwork. Nowadays I sell my prints, cards, woodblocks and mirrors via Open House/Studio events in Dulwich, through shows including the East London Design Show and directly from my new website. I also have considerable experience in commercial textiles, having freelanced for a number of respected manufacturers.

What inspired you to go it alone?

I’d love to say it was a conscious decision, however I started selling my designs straight after college so I haven’t known any other life. I’ve huge respect for people who swap the security of a regular salary for self-employment. You have to embrace an insecure lifestyle but the creative freedom it allows is a price worth paying in my book.

What's the most interesting thing you've learnt in your years of designing?

It would have to be the unexpected places my designs have lead me to. You just never know when you finish a design where it will end up. For instance Georgina Wright, a weave designer for Kvadrat, bought one of the Heal's mirrors, which led to us collaborating on a project she had been working on for Elmo Leather in Sweden. We've since made lots of fascinating trips to various locations in Sweden, Denmark and Italy. One little blue mirror - how could I have ever have predicted this?

What do you enjoy the most about your work?

The day-to-day journey of discovery, experimenting with colourways, sourcing materials, creating new images or even designing the display or publicity material for a show. I just love every creative aspect of my work.

Any particular highs/lows you've experienced?

There’ve been plenty of both. One notable high was when, days after delivering a large commission to a lovely client in Hampstead, they asked for the same again for their houses in France and Norfolk. A few months later there was a great feature about the to-die-for house in The Observer, with lots of my artwork.

As for lows - when The Conran Shop were stocking my cards they approached me about designing a wide range of stationery items - a wonderful opportunity, of course. Some way down the line the buyer apologetically said Terence Conran had decided to design the range instead. I guess losing out to Terence Conran is a pill you can swallow with bubbles.

Do you have any favourite products?

There are definitely certain designs which I’m happiest with, these include Rhythmic Leaves (orange) and Birds and Urchin (powder). Behind the scenes I agonised over the colours and they both went through multiple incarnations. Making a design look simple is in reality incredibly difficult. I’m also especially pleased with the woodblocks – the depth of colour and texture is rich and rewarding and I worked very hard to achieve this look. People often say they adore the soft texture of the wood - it’s so different to working on paper - I’m constantly amazed by the possibilities.

Any advice for up-and-coming designers?

Pay close attention to detail. I was once at a buyers meeting with a smart store who were considering stocking my designs. The head buyer unwrapped my card and unnervingly scrutinised the envelope stating rather gruffly ‘I’m extremely fussy about envelopes.’ When I bought the most beautiful, but pricy, envelopes I’d wondered if anyone would even notice. He did! They do! He then placed a huge order on the spot. Skimp on food, heating, light, water but never ever compromise on materials.

What's your own home like?

We have an unusual mid-century house in Dulwich, South London. It's an upside down house with the bedrooms on the ground floor. It makes sense to live at the top of a house to maximise light and views. Period houses are wonderful but what a shame that most of the living goes on in the basement. Furniture-wise someone said of me, and I did laugh, 'you’re one of the mid-century brigade.' Well… sort of… but I’m passionate about contemporary design so I hope I didn't fossilise in 1950!

What inspired you to get involved with the Dulwich Festival?

If you love art and design and you’re interested in houses then Open House events are a must - I visited The Brighton Festival and was hooked. When we bought our house I thought it would be great to take part in the Dulwich Festival as it celebrates the wealth of creativity that the area has to offer. Last year I was amazed at how many people came to our event, so many said my designs really suited the house and they enjoyed learning how I made the work, peeking in sketchbooks and the setting of my studio, within woods.

Find out more about the Dulwich Festival Open House programme>>

See Sarah's beautiful designs on her website>>

Bathroom reveal

So...it's been a while since I finished my bathroom, but I was waiting for some LIGHT and SUNSHINE in order to photograph it. But look, we had five minutes of the stuff on Tuesday and now it's buggered off again. So I've given up. Here's the bathroom, in the delightfully dull March light we're all now so depressingly used to. Am hoping that by posting this, the sun will decide to appear and stick around, just to spite me for not waiting a little bit longer. You may remember my personality-less bathroom from my post before here...

Grim eh? But here it is now... *ta-daaaa*

As you'll see, I didn't have the guts to go for the greeny-blue walls in the end. I was massively tempted, but decided it would look out of place with the rest of the flat, which is very light and bright. And also my uber-stylist friend Poppy Norton reminded me that if you want to do your make-up in them, it's good to keep bathrooms light as possible. The wall colour I went for in the end is Dove Tale, by Farrow & Ball, and is a really interesting shade - that goes from very pale purpley-grey to a sort of warm mushroom-brown, depending on the time of day. It's great because it gives the cosy feel I was after, without being too dark.

The sanitaryware was a bargain - the basin (Bauhaus) and toilet (Duravit) were both from CP Hart's trade centre. I reused my existing bath. The shower and basin and bath taps are Grohe, and I bought them on Amazon!

The flooring is from the Colour Flooring Company - and I love it! So soft and warm underfoot. The tiles are from Topps Tiles.

In total I spent just over £3k, including fitting, which I think is pretty good. It's not perfect, and as with any interiors junkie there are a few things that I wish I could change - or could have afforded to have done - but the main thing is it has personality, is warm and inviting, and puts a smile on my face first thing in the morning!

Architectural Salvage, South Wimbledon

I only knew this place existed because I drive past it on my way to Waitrose every week *middle class cliché*.  I'd always wanted to pop in and have a look around but hadn't had a reason to really, until, with the bathroom complete (pictures to come!), I finally turned my attentions to the next thing on my To-Do-In-The-Flat list.

Which is... putting a door on the kitchen. There's no door to my kitchen or my living room (I actually think the living room door was repurposed as the wardrobe door in my bedroom, but I'll never know for sure) and although I quite like the open nature of it, there's one problem. He's ginger and a bit overweight and thinks the absolute BEST thing that anyone, feline or human, can do at 4am is thunder up and down my long hallway chasing shadows. Or silver balls.

While I'm always pleased to see Percy get some exercise, I wish he didn't choose the middle of the night for his marathon training. I feel for my downstairs neighbours, and, more importantly, myself. I therefore have to create an assault course in the hall every night before I go to bed - consisting of two artfully angled chairs and a clothes drying rack - so that his race track is more of a hurdle track and his footfall is quieter.

But it's really annoying when I need the loo in the middle of the night. Or a glass of water or whatever... And so I decided that a door to the kitchen would be the solution, so I can lock him in the kitchen at night, and hopefully encourage him to run around outside instead.

As it's at the back, the kitchen is also the coldest part of the flat, so it makes sense to close it off during the delightful snowy winters that now seem to come as standard.

But obviously, I am in need of a door. Hence my trip to Architectural Salvage last month. It turned out to be a treasure trove of delights and made me wish I was doing up a place from scratch with a bottomless budget. As with all salvage yards, space was tight and things were piled on top of each other. You really would need to have a good rummage around if you were looking for something specific.

But to give you an idea, here are some quick pictures I took - I only had my iPhone so apologies for the quality.

And finally, what I came for - one section of the shop is entirely full of reclaimed DOORS. Of all sizes and descriptions. There were some beautiful front doors on offer too.

In typical blonde fashion, I hadn't, er, measured the exact dimensions for my new door so I couldn't buy anything there and then but the owner told me that most of the internal doors were about £60. I believe this makes them a bargain and so I'll definitely be back once the carpenter is booked in.

The shop doesn't have a website, but the address is 83 Haydon's Road,  London SW19 1HH, in case you fancy popping by yourself.

2015 update: sad times! The shop seems to have shut down - and the site has been converted back into a house... will try to find out if it's moved location or gone for good.

Behind the brand: Elissa Miller from Magpie Miller

One of my favourite bits about my day job as an interiors journalist is stumbling across new inspiring and creative people. Actually that's a bit of a lie, it's not one of my favourite bits, it's the favourite bit.

I first came across the lovely Magpie Miller last year - a quirky online boutique selling carefully curated pieces, perfect for adding interest and whimsy to your interiors. Better still, each piece is handpicked with love and care by one lady - Elissa Miller.

Let's not be too rose-tinted about it, times are tough and there's a massive amount of competition out there - launching an online interiors shop is not for the faint-hearted. I'm always inspired and fascinated by people brave enough to follow their dreams, so I caught up with Elissa to find out what made her take the plunge...

How long ago did you start Magpie Miller, and how did the idea for setting it up come about?

I started Magpie Miller just over a year ago. My grandparents are antique dealers and my Mum started her career as a fashion designer before moving into the interior business for twenty years - so I grew up surrounded by trends and developed a keen sense of what does and doesn’t sell over the years. I’d always dreamed of having my own shop (selling items I loved) leading to a now-or-never moment about eighteen months ago where I realised it could stay as a pipe dream that I always wished I’d done or bite the bullet and go for it. I opted for the latter!

Can you tell us a little bit about what you did before?

I used to be an animator for a large corporate company making video games. Not the shooty kind though; more cartoon style, family friendly games which was a lot of fun. Working there for most of my twenties taught me to be very disciplined and how to stay creatively motivated and organised when dealing with such huge dependencies – all of which helped massively when establishing my high-level business goals and ensuring the day-to-day tasks were prioritised accordingly. It also means that I’m relatively technically astute which was a huge bonus when setting up the website!

What's the most interesting thing you've learnt since starting the company?

I’ve learnt so much since starting Magpie Miller it’s unreal! From buying, to marketing, branding, photography... phew! But I guess the most interesting thing I’ve learnt is to stay true to who I am and have confidence in what I believe. I always thought these sorts of things sounded corny when I heard other business owners say them; but as long as you retain a clear vision of what you want to achieve, anything is possible.

What have you enjoyed the most?

Without a doubt the most enjoyable part of running Magpie Miller is discovering and dealing with such fantastic design talent. My tummy literally flips when I find a gorgeous item to stock in the shop - it gives me a real sense of pride to be helping independent designers that love their work and are making a business out of it. I also really love sharing the items with customers and knowing how much they value and appreciate good design. The bottom line with the business is that I love selling items so I can buy more… Danger.

Any particular highs/lows you've experienced?

Actually getting the business up and running and receiving orders within the first two weeks of being online was a real high! Building the business up over the past year has been A LOT of hard work combined with trial and error. I also work on my own (Muffin the cat helps out sporadically…) which can be tough and allows self-doubt to rear its ugly head every so often - but I’ve always felt so passionate about the business which is what ultimately keeps me motivated. The business is going from strength to strength at the moment and Magpie Miller is being frequently featured in traditional press and blogs, with a feature in the Saturday Times Magazine recently a particular high. It’s all just been amazing!

Which products are you personal favourites?

Oh gosh, that’s a tough one as they’re all my favourites! I guess if I was to pick a couple of items that are representative of the type of item and design I love, the Button Trivet would come high. It repurposes the universally familiar shape and applies it fantastically, transforming a potentially humdrum kitchen essential into a cosy statement piece. Another example would be the letterpress number coasters which are hand-fed through a century old Chandler and Price letterpress – I just love how much care and attention goes into making items like these.

How does your personal design ethos influence the brand?

When my husband and I bought our first house together we could only afford Ikea products - augmented judiciously with a smattering of Habitat. While this was fantastic (and something we still do now) I found it difficult to find interesting, unique homeware items that didn’t cost an arm-and-a-leg. The solution was to treat this as the basis for my business. To add interest to the house I was always looking for unusual items on the internet and scouring antique fairs and markets to pick up one-off and individual pieces. This led me to establish the Rescued & Reloved range through Magpie Miller.

Can you describe your own home?

I’d describe our home as a true reflection of who my husband and I are: warm and welcoming with an eclectic mix of ideas and styles. I’m a huge Scandi-style fan which influences the furniture we buy; albeit without the starkness that can sometimes be associated with this aesthetic. It also houses my husband’s huge music collection and his weakness for vinyl toys which I’m always threatening to minimise -  but I secretly love that he has such a strong style stake in the house.

What's your hope for the company's future?

In the short term my plan is to treble the Magpie Miller range over the next year. I also want Magpie Miller’s style to evolve year by year and not get stuck in a certain ‘look’. Opening a shop would be a definite dream as it would be great to style all the items together - but really all I want to do is continue finding brilliant new talent and unearthing interesting and fabulous products!

Thanks so much to Elissa for sharing her experience in launching Magpie Miller with us! I'm already coveting far too many things myself...my personal favourites being the Mojave letterpress coasters, below left, (which I have just ordered, tut tut) and the Polyhedron Origami candlesticks, below right.

Magpie Miller is currently holding a super-duper January sale - check it out here>>

My Christmas traditions

I'm suddenly SO excited about Christmas. It's taken a while - I haven't really been feeling it at all up until last week, but I'm well and truly in the festive spirit now. Not least because this year I'm having more than two weeks off work - something I've never done before! In the ten years I've been working, the longest holiday I've ever had is just under two weeks, so this is VERY exciting indeed. I'm not even doing any freelancing.

Anyway, the reason I've managed to finally get in the mood is due in no small part to some of my favourite Christmas traditions, which I thought it'd be nice to share...

1) A real tree

I always have a real tree. My parents were (are) quite snobby about it so it's never occurred to me to have a fake one. Last year I bought a small potted tree, but it sadly died in my garden earlier in the year. So this year I've gone for a cut beauty - it's a 5 footer and is decorated with glass, white and silver decorations. Mostly because I can't be trusted with colour not to go mad and end up with something tacky (and not in a kitsch way).

2) A tin of Quality Street

The second these go on offer for a fiver a tin, or two-for-one, at the supermarket/petrol station, I know Christmas is around the corner. I usually manage to eat most of them before Christmas Day, which means that I end up taking the coconut and orange cremes to my parents' house, where they get ignored until someone gets desperate or we run out of cheese. My favourite is a toss up between the toffee penny and the toffee finger, in case you're wondering.

3) The Sounds of Christmas by Cavatina

This is THE album I put on when I want to feel Christmassy. I grew up with it - my mum bought it in Our Price (remember them?) when I was about 12. It's basically a combination of flute and harp, playing a variety of random Christmas songs, but the first one is the best - Sleigh Ride - literally I hear three bars of it and I feel ridiculously festive. It's the CD we always used to put on while we were decorating the tree, so I still do today. The original disc got lost somewhere when we moved house, but I managed to find it on iTunes about two years ago, so burnt my parents and my sister a copy. I love it.

4) Bacon and eggs on Christmas morning

Not much to say about this really. But Christmas starts with a fry up, and continues down its gluttonous path till my Dad whisks up his Boxing Day soup made with the leftover stilton.

5) Making gingerbread that no one eats

I can't cook, but I quite enjoy making this once a year. I usually eat about two of them, then throw the rest away as I always make loads, and no one seems to trust my baking enough to try them. But it's more about the journey than the destination anyway. These were last year's efforts!

6) Bendicks Bittermints

I'm obsessed with mint. My aunt always used to buy the yard-long box for Christmas every year, and even as a child I'd manage to eat three in a row without feeling (too) sick. They are, quite simply, amazing.

7) Presents on Christmas Eve, after dinner (which is always my mum's beef-in-beer stew)

I'm not sure when this started, or why, but I think it was something to do with the fact that my sister and I were such absolutely spoilt brats that we had so many presents there wasn't enough time on Christmas Day to get through them all. So now we usually do our immediate family (my Mum, Dad, sister and my) ones on Christmas Eve, then save the rest for Christmas Day.

8) Scrabble

I'll be honest with you. I NEVER play boardgames. Never. I'd like to pretend that I spend my evenings in ruminating over a tricky bout of Monopoly, but it's more likely to be the Glee boxset. No ruminating involved. But Scrabble is still my favourite game of all time. Because I usually win. I play this approximately twice a year, both times at Christmas - once with my Dad and once with O. Last year I was given the Christmas version, which is brilliant because you get extra points for words like 'mistletoe' (OK, admittedly have yet to use that one) and 'carol'. It will definitely be making an appearance again this year.

That's about it really. There's no midnight mass or carol singing, or trip to the pub for my family. We tend to watch whatever DVDs we've been given and eat a lot. And fall asleep. And bicker. And drink an awful lot of Prosecco.

I can't wait.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas.

Behind the Brand: Tara Germain, Curio

Twitter has been abuzz lately with talk of new digital magazine Curio. I love the word Curio (definition: rare, unusual, or intriguing object) and am only a little bit cross that I didn't think of it for the name of this blog.  Describing itself as 'premium yet friendly', the mag piqued my interest immediately (I like to think of myself as premium yet friendly, truth be told).

The first issue went live today - you can check it out online now. It's packed full of insightful, original features and quirky offbeat photography - definitely a read to be savoured (oh if only it was safe to take iPads into the bath). And as an ex magazine sub-editor who's a stickler for detail, I'm pleased to report the magazine's production values are high quality, which is something that some online mags have struggled with.

I caught up with Tara Germain, the editor, earlier this month, to find out more about how the magazine came into being...

What inspired you to launch Curio?

The short answer is that I got bored of waiting for someone else to do it! I'd been thinking about doing something for a while as, although I was still reading all the print and online interiors magazines (and still do), I was finding it difficult to engage with them. They seemed quite formulaic and tied to an individual aesthetic and I wanted something that was a bit freer, something premium looking, but friendly and intelligent, which could talk about other things as well as interiors. It had to feel meaningful too, not just pushing the latest must-haves.

How did your background in PR help you in the process?

I was a PR director at Freud Communications and the BBC in London before doing an interiors course and then going on to work for Curio's Managing Editor Sarah Lidwell-Durnin's interiors brand Natural History as a director and stylist. Obviously, PR is all about communication so writing and pitching Curio as an idea came quite easily. However, not having a background in magazines and the contacts that would have brought has meant a steep learning curve. I have been learning as we go, which has been equal parts exciting and terrifying.

What have you enjoyed most so far about putting the first issue together?

I have loved meeting (and persuading!) interesting people to be involved. We had zero budget for the launch issue so everyone in the magazine has worked for next to nothing - which is amazingly gracious of them.

Any exciting features coming up you want to shout about?

I love the photo-essay by Jonathan Legge, a designer who has worked for Ilse Crawford, on his granny's beautiful house in Ireland and the memories he associates with it. The house is gorgeous, but it's the warmth and lyricism of Jonathan's reminiscences that makes it special.

And finally... how would you describe your own style?

It's a cliche, but classic with a twist.

Check out the first issue of Curio online now>>

Once upon a time...

...there was a bathroom. A bathroom without personality.

It was a perfectly acceptable bathroom. It served its purposes - except for the basin tap which had long since checked out of life. But other than that, it worked well enough - it was warm, the shower was powerful, the toilet, er... flushed.

But it was a sad bathroom. It wanted nothing more than a splash of colour, some flair, some love and attention. Some personality.

So that's what it's getting.

Here's my first attempt at a moodboard. Please don't laugh too much - I never did get the hang of Photoshop's marching ants.

My grand plans for a beautiful encaustic geometric floor were sadly put paid due to time and budget constraints, but I'm determined to get some mustard in there somewhere... maybe through some fluffy new towels. I've also been advised against the dark wall as the room is quite small and bathrooms need to be light to be functional, but isn't that teal-grey-navy a beautiful shade?  It's similar to my front door, which is Farrow & Ball's Down Pipe.

The look I originally wanted for my bathroom was based around the concept of 'abattoir chic' (I like to think I coined this phrase, but I probably didn't). So I'm sticking to that theme, more or less.

The last time I saw it, the bathroom was looking significantly worse for wear (that's my lovely fitter Fred in the pic). Fingers crossed its makeover is a success! I'm fairly confident that whatever it ends up looking like will be better than the bland magnolia wasteland I started with.

Watch this space...

Number 36

It's already been in the Guardian, but they only used five pictures for some baffling reason (humph). So I thought it'd be nice to share some more pics of my pride and joy. AKA my flat.

I live in the dodgy end of  Wimbledon, in a top-floor two-bedroom Edwardian maisonette, which I bought in April 2011. Living in a maisonette means I get my own front door, which was a real draw for me. I'd been looking at lots of flats with shared entrances and my heart sank everytime. I guess I'm just woefully unsociable, but bumping into people when I'm in a massive rush to get out of the door in the morning is my idea of a nightmare.

Also, I used to live in a comparatively large three-bed semi (with an OUTBUILDING), so I've become a little spoilt.

I wasn't even meant to view this particular flat, but while I was viewing another, round the corner, the estate agent told me this one had come on and that it was nicer and bigger, and suggested I take a look. So I did. And got very excited - I couldn't believe that this two bed would be the same price as the one bed we'd just come from, but the estate agent just shrugged and said it was a little strange but yes, they were the same price. (It was his first day on the job.)

Cue me getting hugely excited. Then finding out on Monday, when I called to put in an offer, that he'd got the price wrong.

Thankfully I somehow managed to beg, borrow and steal the extra money so I could buy number 36.

And one of the first things I did was paint the front door, in Railings by Farrow & Ball.

When I moved in, the hallway and stairs were carpeted, but I ripped the carpets out and painted all the floorboards white because the space felt very dark. Papering the stair risers is an idea I first saw in a reader home feature in Livingetc - the homeowner had used Orla Kiely wallpaper to do hers, but she’d papered all the way to the edges of each step. I decided to copy the look using this Isak wallpaper - I love subtle graphic prints like this. However, I just did a strip up the middle, so it mimics the original runner.

It’s actually the only wallpaper I have in the whole flat. I love wallpaper, but in my last home I went a bit feature-wall crazy, and found that I got tired of looking at the same pattern after a while. So in this flat I decided to add interest through soft furnishings and accessories instead, which are easier to replace when you fancy a change.

Hallway

The hallway could really do with a replaster – don’t look too carefully or you’ll notice the bubbled lining paper! It was a magnolia dream when I moved in, so I slapped white paint over everything – including the floor – which immediately brightened the space.

With a totally white background, I’m free to play with splashes of colour. One of the first things I bought when I got the keys to this flat was the Eames’ Hang It All and it’s one of my favourite things. Like most people, I try not to hang much from it because it ruins the effect – which means it’s guilty of the style over substance sin, but I think we can forgive it…

The rugs are from Zara Home and were bargains. The pink handles on the cupboard were also from Zara Home, and they’re a bit luminous for my liking, so I’m on the look out for a replacement. The big white mirror was originally gold and was a hand-me-down from my parents – I spray-painted it with plastic garden furniture paint.

The pendant is from Ikea and was only meant to be a cheap temporary buy until I found something I liked, but I really love it.

Living room

The living room is huge. It’s one of the things I love the most about the flat, and as it’s south-facing it gets lots of sun.

The sofa is the Fancy Nancy from Sofa Workshop and has been used in many, many magazine shoots! It’s got a subtle midcentury look that just works with pretty much any room setting. It’s all about the buttons and the piping, for me. I’d wanted it for about six years, but it was always too expensive. I literally used to harangue Sofa Workshop stores, asking them if they would sell me their display model, but as it was one of their signature pieces they said it was unlikely to ever be sold off. Then, one day, I was shopping and saw it in the window with a big red CLEARANCE tag on it, and marched in and told the rather stunned sales assistant that I had waited six years for it and that I had to buy it. I got about £1000 off, so I was really chuffed.

I choose pink because it’s a (surprisingly) easy colour to live with, bold without being dominant, and adds warmth to my white walls and grey floor, which is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe. I’ve got a bit of a pink obsession, actually - I have to restrain myself.

I think colour is incredibly important in interiors, but personally I like to keep it restrained to a few bright splashes, set against a white background - this really maximizes the light and sense of space. Dark walls and lots of heavy patterns make me feel quite claustrophobic. White walls are also more forgiving on imperfections, which helps when you live in a period property that could really do with a replaster…

The Ercol table is an original 50s one found on eBay and is one of my favourite pieces of furniture - the patina of the teak top is just beautiful. The paper lampshade is from Habitat.

I found the mirror in a junk shop for £10. It’s an old dressing table mirror from the 1960s - I’d seen one reused in a similar way on one of the design blogs. It weighs a ton so I had to hang it with a huge chain.

The fairy lights are from Cox & Cox. I put them up for Christmas but they’re just too pretty to take down. I’m not into ornaments or clutter, and these shelves are the only place in the flat where I allow myself a few chosen items, mostly old family photos. And my deluxe Scrabble board, which is too big to fit into any cupboards!

Over the years working on interiors mags I’ve learnt that it’s not realistic to try to live in a ‘photoshoot’ room. It’s too sterile, and too impersonal. I’ve seen a lot of expensive homes that have been interior-designed to within an inch of their life, and to me, they often just look like hotel rooms. Your home should be a reflection of you.

Study area

The bunny lamp was from The Little Baby Company. Yes it is meant for children! I’m a bit obsessed with lighting, the quirkier the better. Of course the fact that it’s pink doesn’t hurt either… I actually have six different forms of lighting in the living room - it might sound excessive but lighting changes my mood completely, and because this is a multi-purpose room, changing the lighting helps me get into the mood for work, or relaxation, or entertaining etc.

The chair is from the now defunct Chair Company and was one of the first things I ever bought when I was working for Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms magazine, a magazine with a very contemporary bent. It definitely influenced my tastes at the time. I had a lot of striped Designers Guild fabric in my life back then.

I’m a bit of a neat freak - I can’t concentrate if my desk is too cluttered, so I only have the essentials next to my computer. Everything else is anally filed away in my filing cabinet. I hate the filing cabinet - it’s industrial looking but not in a good way - and am on the lookout for a ‘softer’ alternative. I’m a fan of the Dulton drawer cabinets, but ideally I’d like something second-hand.

My work has really taught me to investigate the heritage of products - and I’d far rather wait and save for something that’s been lovingly designed and made than just get something cheap and mass-produced. At 100% Design last year I fell in love with a black walnut writing desk from new furniture company Young & Norgate, and that’s now top of my wishlist.

I’m also passionate about second hand furniture - I went to Ardingly last year and it was so inspiring. There’s so much beautiful stuff out there, just waiting to be loved again!

Kitchen

Because of the way the maisonettes in my road were built, my kitchen window looks directly across to next door’s kitchen window. There were no blinds up when I moved in, and I’m not a fan of soft materials in a kitchen anyway, so I decided to put window film up, so that I didn’t eyeball my next door neighbour while I was doing the washing up. This film is from Brume, who do a great range of different styles. It’s very easy to stick up, too.

The kitchen was already fitted when I moved in, and it’s a nice oak design from Ikea (top tip: Ikea kitchens are brilliant and amazing value! Team with an expensive worktop and no one will ever know). I bought the little dining table at Ardingly last year – it’s Victorian and has a cute cutlery drawer on one side. The chairs are vintage chapel chairs. The oilcloth is from John Lewis.

What you can’t see in this picture is my cream Smeg Fab fridge-freezer - my pride and joy, and yes, admittedly another total interiors cliche.

Bedroom

My bedroom is my favourite room. It’s very calm and peaceful, with white-painted floorboards (done myself over three days, back-breaking but satisfying work!) and walls. It’s not a huge room so, again, keeping everything white helps maximise the sense of space. Livingetc did a ‘white’ issue a few years ago, which proved that white doesn’t have to mean clinical, especially when you mix in textures, like my bashed-up floor and lacquered bedside table.

The screenprint above the bed is by Clare Cutts, and was a 30th birthday present to myself! I spotted it in a shop in Dartmouth and found myself thinking about it for the rest of the day, so I went back later and bought it. Total impulse buy, and my most expensive piece of art, but I love it, and it sets the tone for my bedroom as a relaxing haven.

This room has a lovely airy feel that makes me feel like I’m on holiday somewhere warm every time I wake up. The curtains are a subtle striped silk, leftover from a magazine shoot. The chair is the Eames DSW from Vitra, and was the most amazing surprise 30th birthday present. The pigeon light is another design classic, by Ed Carpenter, from Thorsten Van Elten. The chest of drawers, sheepskin rug and oak-framed mirror are all Ikea.

My top tip is: buy what you love. Don’t buy what’s fashionable - buy things that, for whatever reason, you find it hard to walk away from.

Spare bedroom

I'll admit it: the spare bedroom's been done on the cheap. The Ikea daybed was a hand-me-down from my parents, and behind the door is a tiny Ikea wardrobe (from their nursery range - it was the only one that would fit!). The painting above the bed is one of my sister's canvas-printed flower macros, and I love the colours in it. The plaster cast horns were a press gift from M&S.

The other side of the room is dominated by the ridiculous pink polka dot curtains (also from Ikea), which I'm embarrassed to say I absolutely love. They do make the room look a bit like a little girl's room, however. I'm not sure a man would be comfortable sleeping in here! The lower window in this room is covered in wonderful window film by Emma Jeffs - a lace design. It's absolutely beautiful but unfortunately you can't really see it in the photo.

The chair was my grandfather's, and I inherited when he died. The mirror was a door on an old Ikea wardrobe, and the blanket box was my toybox when I was a kid. I painted it to match the mirror. The cushions are all Laura Ashley.

And the bathroom? That's a work in progress...

All photos the work of my super talented sister Sophie Duckworth.